Arian Foster Gets Emotional Talking About His Return To UT

[37620VOL]

No that should be Jalen Hurd.

Hurd wasn't 1/10th the RB that Foster was. Hurd wasn't even the best on his team.

 

[utvolpj]

So true....looking back at my own life, immaturity and an inflated view of my own opinions really ran my college years....so glad life and the years makes us wiser.

I'm also glad I didn't have to do it in Neyland and on national TV.

 

[WoodsmanVol]

I cringe when reading some insults hurled at our players by "fans".

They're called Vols-player haters. They emerge from the wood work at the slightest opportunity. It's increasingly more so now in today's sociopolitical climate. Now, about Hurd, he was lied to, so eventually, he just quit believing, and quit playing. Lying Lyle is the reason Hurd just gave up even trying. We now know what a scumbag the coach was. He sabotaged Pig Howard's chance of a pro career as well. But you know how it is with Vols-player haters, they, well.., they just, just got to, well, you know that:

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Hurd wasn't 1/10th the RB that Foster was. Hurd wasn't even the best on his team.

My point was, he was extremely close to owning the all time rushing record at UT but he flaked out and quit. I understand that Butch Jones was a terrible coach but quitting on your team, refusing to go into a game, I'm sorry but that was not justifiable!

 

[UTBuff37]

Imagine. You gave up being a 2nd/3rd round pick and instant millionaire for your poor family to come back to try and win a title (with the head coach giving you advice to come back). Then you went 5-7 because your head coach cared about running his own offense and maintaining as much power as possible so the new OC doesn’t get too much credit. You get injured, you don’t break the school record, you lose your starting spot to a less talented player. Then you go undrafted and lose millions of dollars, having to play for league minimum for 3-4 years. And also half the fan base gives you **** because even though you actually were pretty good at protecting the ball, you fumbled at a few inopportune times, a couple which weren’t even your fault.

Yeah, you’d be bitter too.

Underrated post.

 

[UTBuff37]

That was a heavy video that I wasn’t expecting. It’s clear that Arian has been on a journey of deep soul searching and healing over the last decade or so. The most encouraging thing, is he followed through with the counseling he’s been given and took steps forward and faced some things by coming back against UF. Awesome stuff and here’s to his future growth!

 

[JohnWardForever]

STRANGE things happen at The Waffle House........

 

[Wezcoast]

Did our fanbase really show him so much despise that he really felt hated by the whole program? I remember a lot of people being pissed off and throwing our usual nasty comments like Fumbling Foster etc , but overall those were really isolated instances from my memory. I feel bad for the dude , that he really felt like the fanbase hated him. I always felt like he had a really unhealthy mental disposition while here and obviously it carried over to his NFL career as well. Not everything can be fixed by shrinks , but clearly it's helped him . It doesn't matter how much money you make off the opportunties the school gave you , feeling hated by the majority of a whole institution and state has to be a lonely place. I understand Jon Crompton feeling like that. There was a well documented and amount of disgust and hate towards him . A lot of people are still doing it towards JG . It's a toxic side of us that I wish would stop. It's just a damn game. You only live a short time . Why spend it being a nasty dbag ?

 

[WoodsmanVol]

My point was, he was extremely close to owning the all time rushing record at UT but he flaked out and quit. I understand that Butch Jones was a terrible coach but quitting on your team, refusing to go into a game, I'm sorry but that was not justifiable!

Here's the thing, BV. Like an abusive spouse in a bad marriage, a bad coach can kill the love and affection of a player for the team and/or the game. When he went to Baylor, he was considered a model team member. He had to sit a year, but even then he was displaying a renewed spirit. He was helping out teammates, though he wasn't eligible to play at the time. He was working out hard, says the coach. He was even doing minimal tasks unasked. Like a marriage, it was as if he'd gotten a divorce, found a new love who was honest, compassionate, considerate, and so forth. When he could finally play again, he served as TE when asked, and as RB when asked. And you know what else? He never said a bad word (far as I know) about the UT, despite the venom spewed on him by UT fans.

 

[Stephen Gray]

Did our fanbase really show him so much despise that he really felt hated by the whole program? I remember a lot of people being pissed off and throwing our usual nasty comments like Fumbling Foster etc , but overall those were really isolated instances from my memory. I feel bad for the dude , that he really felt like the fanbase hated him. I always felt like he had a really unhealthy mental disposition while here and obviously it carried over to his NFL career as well. Not everything can be fixed by shrinks , but clearly it's helped him . It doesn't matter how much money you make off the opportunties the school gave you , feeling hated by the majority of a whole institution and state has to be a lonely place. I understand Jon Crompton feeling like that. There was a well documented and amount of disgust and hate towards him . A lot of people are still doing it towards JG . It's a toxic side of us that I wish would stop. It's just a damn game. You only live a short time . Why spend it being a nasty dbag ?

I’m not sure it was primarily the fan base so much based on his comments. I dunno how he splits the blame, but he did say it was directed at the wrong people. He also mentioned adults.

That said, I do think some fans would benefit from recognizing the positives that be brought and forgive. His actions were hurtful, but again, he was a young guy a long time ago who is now recognizing that. Noone has to of course. I just don’t think it’s particularly healthy way to live.

 

[Stephen Gray]

Another thing I want to point out is that it isn’t the easiest thing in the world to say what he said publicly.

 

[Wezcoast]

I’m not sure it was primarily the fan base so much based on his comments. I dunno how he splits the blame, but he did say it was directed at the wrong people. He also mentioned adults.

That said, I do think some fans would benefit from recognizing the positives that be brought and forgive. His actions were hurtful, but again, he was a young guy a long time ago who is now recognizing that. Noone has to of course. I just don’t think it’s particularly healthy way to live.

I think I misinterpreted part of what he said near the end. Dude was talking about how so many people were walking up to him on campus showing him love and all that and AF said " in my head I feel like they hate me " . I took that as he meant the fans too , but he probably did just meant the support staff , trainers and such. I had just assumed everyone involved was long gone , so he had to mean fans too. I knew he felt really jilted by the coaches and everyone involved inside the program.

 

[m1al]

Indeed. Arian seems to be realizing his relationships with many of the adults in his life in Knoxville was profoundly different than his interpretations of them at the time. Very close to this parable, which I'll only give the last line of because I'm betting most of us have heard it before:

"My dear, beloved son. I never left you. When you saw only one set of footsteps in the sand, I was carrying you."

With age often comes humility....

 

[volfeeva]

That dude crapped on our program after leaving. I remember watching MNF and he listed his high school as his team instead of the Vols. Now I am not one to hold grudges but it takes more than that video to convince me he has changed.

He went thru a weird period while playing for the Texans that made you wonder if he took too many hits. One time he would give post game interviews using some goofy British accent. Other times he was aloof and disconnected during post game interviews. Got to say he was a good running back in the pros, but had something going on upstairs.

 

[brockytop]

Biggest thing I took from that is he pointed out a difference in the culture of the program. Sounds like things are now run by adults. Great post.

yes!

 

[volinbham]

Imagine. You gave up being a 2nd/3rd round pick and instant millionaire for your poor family to come back to try and win a title (with the head coach giving you advice to come back). Then you went 5-7 because your head coach cared about running his own offense and maintaining as much power as possible so the new OC doesn’t get too much credit. You get injured, you don’t break the school record, you lose your starting spot to a less talented player. Then you go undrafted and lose millions of dollars, having to play for league minimum for 3-4 years. And also half the fan base gives you **** because even though you actually were pretty good at protecting the ball, you fumbled at a few inopportune times, a couple which weren’t even your fault.

Yeah, you’d be bitter too.

I'll admit I didn't read the posts after this but this one summed up my thoughts. AF had so many great games and so many great runs. His "dead leg" style led to so many broken tackles. I thought his mom was more patient than any mom I could imagine given the crap this board threw at her son.

Even when he was a phenom in the NFL there were fans on this board that still trashed him.

I never understood the disdain he got here and seeing this video helps me understand his mindset of someone doing all they can to overcome.

Every player is an individual with their own struggles. We'd all do well to remember that.

Go Vols

 

[WoodsmanVol]

I'll admit I didn't read the posts after this but this one summed up my thoughts. AF had so many great games and so many great runs. His "dead leg" style led to so many broken tackles. I thought his mom was more patient than any mom I could imagine given the crap this board threw at her son.
Even when he was a phenom in the NFL there were fans on this board that still trashed him.
I never understood the disdain he got here and seeing this video helps me understand his mindset of someone doing all they can to overcome.
Every player is an individual with their own struggles. We'd all do well to remember that.
Go Vols

What amazes me, we have hatefully abused ex-players who end up being forgiving. Case in point, how Condredge Holloway's mom was treated by Vols fans. Yet he seems to hold no grudge about it. And yet we got fans who wouldn't know what forgiveness is, even if it was rammed up their butts and pulled out of their right nostril.

 

[apevol]

Did our fanbase really show him so much despise that he really felt hated by the whole program? I remember a lot of people being pissed off and throwing our usual nasty comments like Fumbling Foster etc , but overall those were really isolated instances from my memory. I feel bad for the dude , that he really felt like the fanbase hated him. I always felt like he had a really unhealthy mental disposition while here and obviously it carried over to his NFL career as well. Not everything can be fixed by shrinks , but clearly it's helped him . It doesn't matter how much money you make off the opportunties the school gave you , feeling hated by the majority of a whole institution and state has to be a lonely place. I understand Jon Crompton feeling like that. There was a well documented and amount of disgust and hate towards him . A lot of people are still doing it towards JG . It's a toxic side of us that I wish would stop. It's just a damn game. You only live a short time . Why spend it being a nasty dbag ?

i blame in large part, Knoxville media

 

[NCFisher]

I'll admit I didn't read the posts after this but this one summed up my thoughts. AF had so many great games and so many great runs. His "dead leg" style led to so many broken tackles. I thought his mom was more patient than any mom I could imagine given the crap this board threw at her son.

Even when he was a phenom in the NFL there were fans on this board that still trashed him.

I never understood the disdain he got here and seeing this video helps me understand his mindset of someone doing all they can to overcome.

Every player is an individual with their own struggles. We'd all do well to remember that.

Go Vols

Because many adult Vol fans have the emotional maturity of angry children. They "I BLEED TN ORANGE!!!!" and "live and die!..." with the exploits of teenaged/post-teen, barely adults. Players are persona non grata if they violate the decoder ring's rabidity ethics.